


the bonds that break

by skamruinedme (shinystar66), spicyevak



Category: SKAM (Norway)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Soulmates, Angst, Cheating, M/M, Secret Relationship, Soulmate-Identifying Marks, Soulmates, Will post more tags but honey that’s spoilers right now, unhealthy relationship
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-01-06
Updated: 2020-01-06
Packaged: 2021-02-27 16:01:02
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,744
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22139728
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/shinystar66/pseuds/skamruinedme, https://archiveofourown.org/users/spicyevak/pseuds/spicyevak
Summary: Even and Isak aren’t soulmates. Plain and simple, surprising, but that’s just how the universe works, they guess. These childhood sweethearts learn that maybe some risks are worth taking, no matter the potential consequences.or: In a world where being with your assigned soulmate is the norm and dating anyone else is against the law and ethics, Isak and Even turn out not to be soulmates.
Relationships: Eva Kviig Mohn/Noora Amalie Sætre, Even Bech Næsheim/Isak Valtersen, Even Bech Næsheim/Sonja (SKAM), Isak Valtersen/Original Male Character(s)
Comments: 11
Kudos: 62





	the bonds that break

**Author's Note:**

> Hi! Brina here! Diana and I are really excited to release this to you and we hope that you love it! Updates will be weekly! Leave us comments! They feed the soul!

_The wind ruffled the leaves of the tree that Isak stood under. The sun shone hotly on the bare skin of the back of his neck, causing him to sweat a little. A smile was firmly planted on Isak’s face as he reveled in his perfect hiding place._

__

__

_“Found you! You’re it!” Even had yelled loudly not even a moment later, startling the eight year old Isak from behind the tree that he was hiding against, the surprise causing Isak to jump back, the roughness of the bark scraping his back. Isak groaned; he had thought that there was no way that Even would have found him here._

_“No fair,” Isak whined, a small pout gracing his cupid’s bow. Even’s eyes crinkled in a smile at Isak’s mini tantrum._

_“That was fair and square,” Even said with a smile that shone so bright that it hurt Isak’s eyes._

_That may have been fair and square in Even’s mind, but in Isak’s, he had been cheated. “I know you didn’t close your eyes when you counted,” Isak pouted, the frown between the crease of his brow deepening by tenfold._

_Even studied at Isak for a moment before wrapping him in a big hug, squeezing him tight._

_“Let me go, Even,” Isak whined and struggled to be released from Even’s grip around his small body. Even was two years older than him and almost a foot taller than him, causing Isak’s face to be squashed into his chest, the soft green material of Even’s shirt tickling his nose. Isak relaxed in the hug for a moment before remembering he had an image to maintain, and being hugged by Even was not helping it. He wanted his friends from school to think he was cool, not a little kid who needed a hug to be calmed._

_Isak’s wiggling and struggling accidentally tripped Even, causing them to both collapse on the dying grass, the crunch and scratch of it unpleasant. “Let me hug you, Isak,” Even whined, reluctantly letting Isak go, who scrambled and rolled as far away from Even as he could. This did nothing as Even continued to follow him._

_“No.”_

_“If we are going to be soulmates, you need to let me take care of you, Isak.” Even said, bending down and picking a piece of dead grass out of Isak’s hair._

_Isak grumpily looked up at Even, “We aren’t soulmates.”_

_“Not yet, but I know that we are going to be,” Even said as he pulled Isak’s pouty form off the ground. “Mom and Dad keep saying that, so if we are going to be soulmates you need to let me take care of you. Okay?”_

_Isak stared at Even’s deep, imploring blue eyes that hypnotized his little kid brain, and with a nod, he agreed._

The buzz of his phone brought him back to the present and out of his wishful mind. The rumbled sheets cold against his burning skin, the bed smelling not like home, but like the stranger who seemed to be his soulmate.

Isak laid in his unmade bed, his thoughts running through his mind a million miles a minute. All were cloudy and consumed with an irrational emotion that Isak could not place, even if he tried. Julian would be home any second now, and he knew deep down he was supposed to be excited, or at the very least, content with the knowledge that his soulmate was on his way home, but the only thing he could feel was a consuming emptiness. 

Isak had just turned eighteen a mere three months ago and that meant getting his soulmate mark. That mark had revealed that Isak’s soulmate was a dark-haired individual with the name of Julian, rather than the blue-eyed, blonde-haired man Isak always thought it would be. Isak had already known it was irrational to entertain the thought that Even would have been his soulmate because Even had been paired with Sonja three years earlier. His heart had always wished it would just be a cosmic mistake, just a joke for the potential god that supposedly rested in the sky, but the reality was that Julian was Isak’s soulmate and Even’s was Sonja.

Isak and Even had been best friends from the age of five and eight and were completely and utterly inseparable growing up. Attached to the hip, as Even’s mom would say as she would give them their afternoon snack after school. Their parents had even joked about them being meant for each other, which is probably the thing that set up Isak for disappointment on Even’s eighteenth birthday. No one had ever understood Isak the way Even had. Isak had completely fallen in love with Even at the age of twelve, but Even had just turned fifteen and had just met Sonja. The beautiful and brilliant blonde who had Even absolutely enthralled. Isak began to see Even less and less as Sonja took up most of his time. After that, the jokes about Isak and Even being soulmates stopped, and no one was the least bit surprised to find out that Sonja and Even were soulmates, except for maybe Isak,- who had thought (more like hoped) that it would have been him. 

Isak hadn’t seen Even for years, so seeing Even yesterday somewhere as random as the grocery store had completely thrown Isak into emotional turmoil. Just the glance Isak had received had made him feel more alive than any type of contact with Julian. Isak was not even fully sure that Even had noticed him, but seeing him after so long, was confusing. Even had looked so happy at the store, Sonja by his side as they were shopping for god knows what. Even looked happy and complete, and Isak knew that was without him, which stung a bit.

The door opening knocked Even from Isak’s thoughts as Julian walked in, a black bag slung around his shoulders. “Isak? I’m home,” Julian's voice traveled across the small government-assigned apartment. This only caused Isak to shut his eyes tight, he did not really have the energy to deal with Julian tonight. Isak had not had the slightest clue of how they ended up as soulmates, their marks a match. They were complete polar opposites from one another, and not in a good way either. Julian did not complement Isak at all; he wasn’t understanding of his feelings, of why he liked ketchup on his fries, or of the silence Isak needed to be able to recharge himself. Julian’s footsteps led up the bedroom, the sound of Isak’s name filled the quiet space once more. Isak pretended to sleep, but he knew this would fail because of the stupid bond, not giving him privacy for even a second.

“I can tell that you are awake,” Julian said, placing his bag beside the messy bed, annoyance clear in his voice as he walked to the side that Isak faced. 

“You don’t think I fucking know that?” Isak huffed as he turned the other side, so he did not have to face him.

“I don’t understand why you're acting so childish.” Julian sighed, grabbing the charger from the side of the bed and plugging his phone in.

“I just want to be left alone right now,” Isak said weakly, face buried in the pillows, voice muffled. 

“Well, tough shit, I promised my parents that we would meet them for dinner,” Julian said, ruffling around in Isak’s clothes drawer for something to wear. The noise pulled Isak from out of his pillow cocoon.

"I don't remember agreeing to meet your parents today."

"You never agree with anything I say."

"Maybe there’s a reason for that."

"And what the fuck is that supposed to mean?" Julian raised his voice, still standing, still holding one of Isak's shirts.

"It means I'm tired, Julian."

"Tired of me? Already?"

 _Yes._ Isak wanted to say, but didn't dare to. He opted for something else instead, which was not too far from the truth.

"Tired of everything."

Because he was, tired of this stupid bond and the stupid society they lived in.

"That sounds depressing. Maybe you should go see a therapist."

"Fuck you." Isak spit out, now sitting up.

"No. Fuck you, Isak. You've been treating me like dirt ever since we met. And you don't even have the decency to stick to our plan and meet my parents like I asked you to."

"Fine. Let's go meet your parents." Isak stood up, throwing all the blankets off him in frustration.

"No. Not when you are being such an asshole. I'll call them to say you're sick and to postpone dinner. You better start acting like a decent person, because we are soulmates, whether you like it or not, and we are destined to live the rest of our shitty short lives together. So get used to the idea, because you can fight with me, but you can't fight the entire universe." And with that Julian slammed the door behind him, leaving a bewildered Isak behind.

It's not like Isak didn't see a fight coming. Almost all they did was fight. Some fights were more silent than others though, consisting of meaningfully harsh looks and words that were left unspoken. But the outburst that Julian just had? Isak didn’t expect that, even if he did act shittily. Julian was the kind of person who was willing to let go of his pride, but it seemed like Isak had done it; he managed to break Julian's normally chill demeanor.

 _You can't fight the entire universe,_ Julian had said. _Oh,_ how much Isak wished he could. How much he wished he was someone else’s soulmate. Or even better, he wished he lived in a world where the soulmate system did not exist. Where he could break things off with Julian and be with whoever he wanted to. Isak slumped back on the bed, sighing deeply. Sometimes he liked to imagine a different universe, where all of that was possible. If the theory of parallel universes was even slightly accurate, there were infinite possibilities out there, so a universe where you could date on free will didn't seem that far-fetched.

In that universe he was with Even, and he was the one Even was happily shopping with.

_In that universe._

But they weren’t in that universe. This was the real and this was the now. Julian was his soulmate, not Even. He could wish on a thousand stars, but it wouldn’t change the fact that Isak and Even were not meant to be. With a deep sigh, he pushed himself off of him and stormed after Julian. 

“Julian,” Isak called, finding him in the near empty kitchen. “I’m sorry,” the words tasted foul coming out, but he knew it needed to happen. 

“Not now,” Julian snapped, not looking up from his phone.

Isak made his way closer, placing his head on Julian’s shoulder, wrapping his arms around his waist. Julian stiffened for a moment before relaxing. “I’m sorry, baby, please don’t cancel with your parents.” 

Julian sighed deeply before pushing Isak off him and turning him so he could look Isak in the eyes. Julian’s deep brown met Isak’s light green and Isak begged to whatever god there was in the sky to allow him to feel the spark that Julian so clearly felt for him. Julian pushed a curl back before saying, “Okay, but you need to be on your best behavior please.” 

_Behavior?_ Isak scoffed internally, he wasn’t a dog. But nonetheless, he kept the sincerity plastered on his face. If only their bond was stronger, then he would be able to see right through his bullshit.

Julian leaned down and planted a small kiss on the top of Isak’s mouth. He pulled back smiling, fully planted on his thin lips. Julian tucked one of Isak’s loose curls behind his ear, then disappeared back in their room, presumably to get dressed. 

Isak looked around the bland and empty kitchen, then down to the inside of his wrist where the mark that had damned him for an eternity of unhappiness with someone Isak wasn’t sure he could ever love. It didn’t matter what he wanted though, so he pushed all thoughts of Even and anything pertaining to him to the very far corner of his brain so that for once, he could have peace, without the thought of having Even tormenting him. He was to go to dinner with his soulmate’s parents and that’s what he needed to focus on right now. So with a deep, cleansing breath, he followed Julian into the room to get dressed for the inevitably fancy dinner he was about to attend.

The car ride to the restaurant was short. Small mercies, Isak supposed. The collar of Isak’s shirt felt suffocating as they pulled into the parking lot. He mostly tuned out what happened next. He shook hands and spoke in a polite manner. He smiled as he ordered. He made small talk with the parents. They asked the same old stereotypical questions you would ask a couple, about life and potential grandchildren which caused Isak to internally cringe at the thought. Julian’s mother watched Isak with inquisitive eyes, making him grab Julian’s hand in an attempt to please his mother. He even tried to feel something while holding Julian's hand under the table. It was all good, except for the fact that he felt his breath catch in his throat, but couldn't figure out why. Maybe because of that damn collar? Or because it was ridiculously hot in there? Either way, it was getting harder and harder to breathe.

He looked around, trying to distract himself from the impending anxiety that was building inside himself for no apparent reason. And then he caught a pair of blue eyes staring at him from across the room. So that's why. His body reacted before his mind did. Wasn't that supposed to be a soulmate trait? Even dropped his gaze as soon as he caught Isak looking back. Isak tried to ignore the heat in his cheeks and focused his vision on the person sitting opposite of Even. Sonja, smiling and laughing. _Of course._

"Julian tells me you want to become a doctor, Isak?" Julian's mom, Mari, asked taking a sip from her glass of wine. Isak turned her attention back to her and all the rings she was wearing. One on each finger. Her nails were painted bright red, a shade so vivid it hurt his eyes. 

"I'm not sure yet." Isak replied, pouring his own glass of wine with little more than what was responsible, but exactly how much was needed to have this conversation. If this was how tonight was going to go, he needed a little strength.

"But you are going to apply to med school, right?" Jan, Julian's dad, inquired. His son looked exactly like him. Isak felt like he was talking to an older version of his soulmate. Same broad shoulders, same deep brown eyes, a stark contrast to his mom whose green eyes rather mirrored Isak's. 

"Yes, that's the plan right now, sir." Isak nodded, not really too interested in the aspect of talking about the future.

"Please, just call us by our names. If you're our son's soulmate, you're part of the family." Mari commented and Isak felt all sorts of wrong. He was starting to have an out-of-body experience. This was not the life he wanted, he felt fake, trapped. Mari and Jan continued with their mundane chatter, talking between themselves and asking the pair questions that neither had the answer to yet. 

Isak took a deep breath, pulling at the collar of his shirt in an attempt to loosen it. He liked being choked, but not like this. Julian’s eyes imploring him, studying him. Isak simply shook his head, pulling the napkin off of his lap."If you'll excuse me, I need to use the restroom." Isak said standing up and rushing before anyone could interfere.

He splashed water on his face and studied his reflection in the mirror. The circles underneath his eyes were bigger and uglier than usual. He had been having trouble sleeping again. Maybe he should go see a therapist, like Julian had so rudely suggested. Maybe a therapist could explain why he couldn't get himself to feel anything for the person that was supposed to be his soulmate. Or maybe they could explain the brokenness he felt inside, his eyes dropping to the mark on his wrist again. Maybe he could just cut it, but no, cutting the mark means cutting his veins, which means-

"Hi," a tentative voice greeted, startling Isak from his dark thoughts. He could recognise that deep voice anywhere, but he refused to turn around and test his presumption. Instead, Isak looked in the mirror to check it really was him, having noticed him earlier.

"Hi," Isak replied, but he wasn't sure if it came out as more than a whisper.

"It's funny, right? I haven't seen you for so long and now we keep bumping into each other."

So Even had seen him yesterday at the grocery store. 

"Fate is a funny thing, indeed," Isak nodded, grabbing a tissue to dry his hands. _Fate keeps me away from you._

"How-how are you?" Even asked, smiling. He looked unsure, scared even. Isak didn't know what to think or how to react, so he focused on tossing the used tissue into the trash can.

"I'm fine."

"The boy you're with, is that your soulmate?"

The casualness in Even's question felt like a gut punch to Isak, who had finally gathered the courage to turn around and face the other boy. 

_You should have known that. And you would have known that if you had bothered to call me on my 18th birthday._

"Yes. His name's Julian."

"Julian," Even repeated, as if testing the word on his tongue. "Is he nice? Is he treating you right?"

_Too nice. Maybe that was the problem._

"He's all right," Isak shrugged, making his way to the door. Even’s presence was getting to be too much and he couldn't make Julian and his parents wait too long. They'd start asking questions. 

"Wait. Isak," Even stopped him, grabbing his wrist. Isak shuddered at the contact and Even dropped his hand immediately, as if he had made a fatal mistake, as if the touch burnt.

"What, Even?" Isak sighed. He couldn't deal with this right now. But Even's eyes were too big and pleading to be ignored.

"I just...missed you. I miss you. We don't have to stop being friends."

"I- I just-"

"Isak, are you okay?" Julian asked, peeking through the door. _Fuck._

"Not really," Isak answered and he didn't miss the way Even's neck snapped at the admission  
"I feel sick, I think I drank too much wine."

"Poor you. I told you not to drink." Julian stepped forward and cupped Isak's face in his big hands. "We can go home, if you want," he continued, and only then noticed the blonde standing next to Isak.

"And you are?"

"My childhood friend, Even. We haven't seen each other for a while and we started chatting and I lost track of time. And then he stayed here because he was afraid I'd start puking and wanted to make sure I'm alright," Isak covered for Even, who only nodded as he shook Julian's hand.

"Well, thanks for long looking after my boyfriend, then." Isak cringed. Boyfriend sounded so much worse than soulmate.

"You didn't tell me about any childhood friends, Is," Julian remarked as Isak cringed for the nth time that evening. It wasn’t fair that he felt this way about his soulmate, but he couldn't help it.

"You didn't ask. Can we go home now?"

"Sure. I just have to go and let my parents know. You left quite an impression on them, baby,." Julian said, kissing Isak's cheek.

"Yeah, I should go too. My girlfriend is waiting," Even added.

"Your soulmate?" Julian asked as all three of them left the restroom.

Isak didn't pay attention to the rest of the conversation.

.

"You go, I just want to have a smoke," Isak said later, taking his cigarette pack out of the pocket of his fancy suit.

"Won't that make you more sick?" Julian raised his eyebrows in suspicion as Isak pulled out a white lighter from his back pocket.

Isak attempted to light it, the click of the spark filling in the silence. The end of the cigarette burned, and with a deep inhale, the smoke filled his lungs. ,"Cigarettes never make me sick," Isak replied with a small cough as he exhaled the smoke, blowing it in Julian’s face. Julian scoffed with an eye roll, but left him alone as he went to their car.

Finally. Isak had a moment to clear his mind.

"Well wasn’t that a performance,”

Or not.

Isak was surprised to find a weird stranger leaning against the wall next to him. The man was dressed in black from head to toe, and his face was mostly covered by a hood.

"Hello?" Isak replied, or more like asked, a thousand scenarios running through his head. Was this a mugger? Maybe Isak shouldn't have assumed, but the guy was giving off strange vibes. Plus, what kind of person just starts talking to strangers at the back of a restaurant?

"I have something that could help you," the man whispered and Isak's confusion and worry grew.

"I don't do drugs," he said, throwing away the cigarette he had just lit up.

"I think you might want to try these."

"Really, I don't-"

"They break soulmate bonds." 

_What?_

"Trust me. If you'll let me explain, I'll tell you about the dosage and the side effects."

"Why would I want to try that?"

"Because I've been watching you. I know how unhappy you are with your soulmate. This has an immediate effect. You wouldn't be tied to him in any way anymore."

"You've been watching me? Do you realise how creepy that sounds? Also, if you're speaking the truth, how come nobody has ever talked about these miraculous drugs?" 

"Many reasons. Because they're illegal, as you might have guessed. Because people are scared of the side effects. But you'll be safe as long as-"

"Listen. I really have to go."

Isak took a backwards step away from the man, not wanting to draw any more attention to the situation.


End file.
